Pop-out handle lock assemblies are well known in the art. Such lock assemblies are commonly used, for example, to prevent unauthorized access to vending machines (e.g., refrigerated pop machines, food machines, candy machines, etc.), coin changers, mass transit collection systems, outdoor storage facilities, utility boxes, and bicycle storage modules. In fact, pop-out handle lock assemblies are so well known in the art that dimensional standards have been set forth by both NAMA (i.e., the National Automatic Merchandising Association) and ASTM (i.e., the American Society of Testing Materials). In addition to these dimensional standards, several patents have issued which disclose various features of such pop-out handle lock assemblies including, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,089,330 (Kerr), 3,550,412 (Pitel et al.), 4,552,001 (Roop), 4,760,721 (Steinbach), and 4,899,561 (Myers).
Conventional pop-out handle lock assemblies include two generally T-shaped components which cooperate to secure a movable cabinet door to a stationary cabinet, or the like. More specifically, such pop-out lock assemblies typically comprise a generally T-shaped housing mounted to the door and generally T-shaped lock assembly which is received by and nested within the generally T-shaped housing. The lock assembly, in particular, usually comprises an outer shell having integral handle and stem portions and a bore formed therethrough, a lock plug assembly rotatably disposed in the bore of the outer shell, a latch bolt operatively connected to the lock plug assembly, and a lock stud reciprocally disposed within and protruding from the bore of the outer shell and operatively connected to the lock plug assembly. The lock stud usually includes a threaded end which is adapted to be received by a threaded aperture disposed within the cabinet. The housing, on the other hand, usually comprises a front face portion which is mounted to the exterior surface of the door and an integral rear guide portion which projects rearwardly through an opening in the door. A slot formed through the housing and along the longitudinal axis of the integral rear guide portion slidably receives the stem portion of the outer shell. In addition, a radial aperture formed in the rear guide portion of the housing selectively receives the latch bolt.
The cabinet door may be retained closed with respect to the cabinet by moving the lock assembly into its locked position. Alternatively, the cabinet door may be opened with respect to the cabinet by moving the lock assembly into its unlocked position. In operation, the lock assembly is moved into its locked position by rotating the handle portion until the lock stud is completely received by the threaded aperture of the cabinet, by pushing the stem portion into the longitudinal slot of the housing such that handle portion is received by the recess disposed in the front face portion of the housing, and by rotating the lock plug assembly until the latch bolt engages the radial aperture disposed in the rear guide portion of the housing. When the lock assembly is in its unlocked position, however, the latch bolt does not engage the radial aperture. Instead, a coil spring compressibly disposed between the stem portion of the lock assembly and the rear guide portion of the housing causes the lock assembly to partially eject from the housing. Once ejected, the handle portion may be grasped and rotated which enables the threaded end of the lock stud to be withdrawn from the threaded aperture of the cabinet. In this way, the cabinet door may be opened with respect to the cabinet.
Because valuable goods are customarily stored within the cabinet (e.g., currency, tokens, products, etc.), the need for security is high. Most known pop-out handle lock assemblies, however, can be defeated by forced entry. For example, by applying a prying force to the handle portion with a crowbar or the like, a vandal or thief may defeat the pop-out handle lock assembly and gain access to the contents of the cabinet. Even if access is not gained in this way, the pop-out handle lock assembly will either be completely destroyed or extensively damaged. Alternatively, the vandal or thief may break open the front panel of the cabinet door (or a product select button disposed in the cabinet door) and then manipulate and self-defeat the latch bolt with a screwdriver or the like in order to cause the handle portion to eject from the housing. In either event, the pop-out handle lock assembly and/or the cabinet door will require immediate replacement. Such replacement, however, is expensive, labor intensive, and time consuming.